I met John Green in the lobby at 5:45 AM and we left the Depot Inn & Suites and started off to East Sibley via Missouri Highway 5, US Highway 36 to Missouri Highway 11 to US Highway 24 where we saw a headlight and found a grade crossing.
Norfolk Southern 6761 East just east of Dewitt. From here we drove west straight to the Missouri River bridge at East Sibley and pulled up to the photo location just as a westbound BNSF started crossing the impressive bridge here.
An unknown BNSF train at East Sibley crossing the Missouri River.
Union Pacific {CSX 7642 West} crossing the Missouri River at East Sibley.
The track inspector truck came across the bridge and found a defect and two other trucks stopped on the west approach to the bridge. This was not a good sign, so we left and headed to Richmond to McDonald's where I had Hot Cakes and sausage. From here we headed east and just east of Hardin, we saw our next train coming towards us.
BNSF 6504 west at Hardin from the Missouri Highway 10 overpass. We continued east to a road crossing just west of NA Jct.
BNSF 7804 West at a road crossing just west of NA Jct.
Norfolk Southern 8862 East at a road crossing just west of NA Jct. From here I took John to County Road 260 MP 383.17.
BNSF 7116 West at County Road 260 MP 383.17.
Interesting tracks here due to their elevation.
BNSF 7958 West at the same location.
Amtrak Southwest Chief running over 2 hours 39 minutes late due to crew issues after last night's late westbound Southwest Chief at County Road 260 MP 383.17. We left for Rothville but stopped along one of the roads we took.
A field of purple flowers. From here we headed over to Rothville Main Street crossing and found a train stopped.
BNSF 4142 West was stopped because of a red signal here and this location was chosen they would not block Main Street if they had stopped at the signal.
More of those purple flowers up close.
BNSF 6764 East at the Route E/Main Street crossing MP 354.49.
BNSF 7300 East at the Route E/Main Street crossing MP 354.49. BNSF 4142 West finally started moving just as BNSF 5323 East came into view out of the west.
BNSF 4142 West met BNSF 5323 East at the Route E/Main Street crossing MP 354.49. From here we headed back to La Plata via South Gifford for a picture of the old station there.
The Iowa and St. Louis Railroad (a predcessor of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy) South Gifford station. The Iowa and Saint Louis Railroad was formed in 1901 with the intent to run from Centerville, Iowa to Saint Louis, Missouri. Coal was prolific in the Chariton River Valley; in some cases, it was so close to the ground surface in the valley that most farms had their own mines to extract what they needed and sell the rest. The I&StL was built for this purpose: hauling coal from the Chariton River Valley. Other commodities included timber, general freight and also passenger service.
We headed back toward La Plata but our highway was closed for bridge work. No detour directions were given and that is the one thing I hate about Missouri. Luckily, I knew a detour which we took. From La Plata we headed to Kirksville for an early dinner at Colton Steakhouse. After that we returned to La Plata, filled the car with petrol and purchased more Coca-Cola for my trip tomorrow and on to North Carolina on Wednesday then wrote the story back in Room V before calling it a night.
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